Clamp.



W. L. KNIGHT.

CLAMP. APPLICATION FI LED JAN. 13, 1912. 1 1 093 703. Patented Apr. 21, 19M

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W. L. KNIGHT. CLAMP. APPLIOATION IILEI) JAN. 13, 1912.

1,093,703. Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 21 mmufilliimm Ill llllllll 5 1H a o z 1 2 1i 3a 129 1 I 5:; A W WITNESSES 26 INVENTOR W W ui \LUAM L KNIQHT UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VTILLIAM LAWRENCE KNIGHT, F TULSA, OKLAHOMA, .ASSIGNOR 'TO PAUL ARBON,

- OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed January 13, 1912. Serial No. 671,109.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM Law'nnnon KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rope clamps of the type which are used in drilling oil wells and the like, where a rope is employed for supporting a string of tools, the rope being lengthened from time to time as the drilling process proceeds by allowing a portion of the same to slip through the clamp and then reclamping the rope.

Heretofore in the practice of well drilling it has been found necessary to employ a different clamp for every different sized rope so that when it was wished to change from the rope used in drilling to the rope used in connection with the sand bailer usually a much lighter rope, the clamp also had to be changed.

One object of the present invention is to do away with the multiplicity of clamps thus made necessary and provide a single clamp which may be used to clamp any number of different sized ropes.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for replacing the wearing parts of rope clamps of this character.

A third object of the invention is to provide means whereby a strong clamping effect may be obtained by the provision of a novel type of closure for the clamp jaw.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of details as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and: Figure 1 is a top view of a clamp of the character described with the jaws closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the jaws open for the reception of the rope to be clamped. Fig. 3 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 1, the view showing the front of the clamp. Fig. 4: is a view showing the hinge of the clamp. Fig. 5 is a view showing part of the clamp broken away, the view being taken from the rear.

Fig. 6 is a top View of one of the removable jaws used herewitl Fig. 7 is a side view of such a jaw. Fig. 8 is a face view of one of the jaws. Fig. 9 is a rear view of the jaw. Fig. 10 is a view of the hinge pin used herewith. Fig. 11 is a plan view of a certain clamping screw showing the pivoted end thereof. Fig. 12 is a side view of the clamping screw end shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a view of a pivot pin used in connection with the aforementioned screw.

The clamp consists of a pair of jaws and 21, one of which has a pair of hinge lugs 22 while the other jaw is provided with a single hinge lug 23 which fits between the hinge lugs 22 and are held together pivotally by means of a pin 24:. Each of the jaws 20 and 21 is provided with a downwardly curved hook 25 for the purpose of engagement by suspension links 26 so that the clamp may be hung from the end of the walking beam or other operating means and caused to reciprocate vertically. Each of the jaws 20 and 21 is provided on its inner surface with a pocket 27, said pockets being oppositely disposed when the jaws are in closed position as can clearly be seen by reference to Fig. l. The bottoms of these pockets are closed by lugs 28 which run across said bottoms so that when an object is placed in the pocket it will not fall out through the bottom. It is to be noted that these pockets have their sides tapering as can readily be seen by reference to the various figures.

In connection with the jaws 20 and 21 there are provided removable jaws, each of which consists of a body portion 29 and a head 30. The body portion 29 is of such length that the lower end thereof bears against the upper surface of the respective lug 28 at the same time that the undersurface of the head 30 engages the top face of the respective jaw 20 or 21. These remov able jaws have tapering sides so that they fit the pockets 27 and on their proximal faces they are provided with longitudinal grooves 31 which are one or more in number on each removable jaw and are disposed opposite each other. Where the grooves are more than one in number in each jaw they are graduated in size so that the various sizes may fit different sized ropes. It should be noted that each of the lugs 28 is likewise provided with grooves 32 which are alined with the grooves 31 but the grooves 82 are of such size as to readily permit the passage of the largest sized rope to be used, these grooves merely being clearance spaces for said rope. These removable jaws maybe further heldin place by suitable screws 30.

The jaw extends forwardly to form an end 33 wherein is a slot 34 while the jaw 21 is bifurcated to form a pair of pivot cars 35, through which passes a pivot pin 86. On this pivot pin 36 is mounted the cylindrical head 87 of a screw 38. On the threaded extremity of this screw there is provided a nut 39 having diverging handles 40 formed thereon or secured thereto and the lower end of this nut is reduced as at 41. On its lower end is fitted a bearing sleeve 42 which extends over the body of the nut 39 and is held on said body by means of set screws 43 engaging in a groove 44 which extends peripherally around the body 39. The groove 44 is wider than the points of the set screws 43 so that a certain amount of play longitudinally of the sleeve 41 on the nut is permitted. By means of this arrangement there is provided around the sleeve and nut a ball race for the reception of anti-friction balls 45. It is to be observed that when the jaws are closed as in Fig. l the screw 38 is swung around so that the face of the sleeve 42 bears against the end 32 of the jaw 20, the shank of the screw 38 fitting within the slot 34. By rotating the nut by means of the handles 40 the face of the sleeve 42 will bear strongly against thejaw 20 but there will be no friction between the nut itself and said jaw. It is therefore much easier to rotate the nut since the only friction is that on the screw and that on the balls of the ball bearings. In this manner much pressure can be exerted with little effort on the part of the operator.

, In the operation of the device the parts are thrown open as in Fig. 2 and the proper size of removable jaw having been inserted, the rope is placed between the jaws in the proper groove. The jaws are then brought together and the screw swung around so that the nut may be tightened as just described.

hen it is desired to let out more rope so that the drilling may be continued it is simply necessary to slightly loosen the pressure on the jaw 20 and this can be regulated to a nicety by reason of the anti-lrhztir'm bearing. This will permit the rope to slide slowly through the clamp until sullicient rope has been paid out when the clamp may again be tightened and the drilling operation again resumed.

There has thus been provided a simple and eflicient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A clamping device for wire lines of well drilling tools, comprising hinged jaws for clamping the wire line, a threaded bolt pivotally connected to the free end of one of the jaws and the other jaw having a. slot' to receive said bolt, a lever nut, and a ball bearing washer loosely mounted on said nut.

2. A clamp for the wire lines of well drilling tools, comprising hinged jaws for clamping the wire line, a threaded bolt pivotally connected to one of said jaws, a lever nut for said bolt, having a groove therein, a washer loosely mounted on said nut, screws entering said grooves to loosely connect said nut and washer, and friction balls arranged between said nut and washer.

8. A clamping device for the wire lines of well drilling tools, comprising hinged jaws, a threaded bolt hinged to one of said jaws, a nut for said bolt having a reduced portion, a washer loosely mounted on the reduced portion of the nut, antifriction balls between said washer and nut, means for connecting said washer and nut, said means being adapted to prevent longitudinal separation of the parts and permitting independent revolution of the same, and means for suspending the device from a temper screw.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LAWRENCE KNIGHT.

Witnesses PAUL AnBoN,

[Anion Dronnnamn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O." 

